Native Forest Action

Native Forest Action
There was an earlier unrelated environmental group called Native Forest Action Council.

Native Forest Action (NFA) was set up protect the publicly owned native forests of the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand from logging.

The West Coast has extensive stands of virgin native forests and numerous organisations had lobbied for their protection. In 1986 the West Coast Accord was signed between environmental groups and government agencies. There was discord amongst other environmental groups since it was seen to be too much of a compromise towards the logging interests. This should be seen it light of the fact that New Zealand had lost approximately 75% of its original forest cover since human habitation.

In 1997 the NFA campaign involved protesters setting up camps in the forest and tree sitting. In April 1997, one of these sites by deliberately destroyed by swinging a tree from a helicopter into it, allegedly without ensuring that it was fully clear of protesters.[1]

NFA had a campaign of non-violent direct action which gained it prominence in the media. The New Zealand Labour Party made an election promise in 1999 to halt the logging. One of the most controversial parts of campaign history was when a bomb was found on a helicopter used for logging. NFA, which had always maintained a policy of non-violence denied vigorously any links to the bomb, and no link was found.

It is claimed that the release of the book Secrets and Lies by Nicky Hager prior to the 1999 general election had an influence on the election of the Labour Party. The book made detailed claims about an organised smear campaign against NFA by public relations firm Shandwick on behalf of Timberlands West Coast, the company tasked with sustainably harvesting West Coast beech forests.[2] The Labour/Alliance coalition government halted the logging and the land was transferred to the Department of Conservation.[3]

NFA, which as an organisation always had a very informal structure, is now dormant.

References

  1. ^ PRWatch - When Helicopters Attack: A Near Accident Leads To Coverup
  2. ^ Hager, Nicky. Secrets and Lies. Nelson, NZ: Craig Potton Publishing. ISBN 0-908802-57-9. 
  3. ^ "Indigenous West Coast forests transferred to conservation estate". NZ Government. 2001-05-30. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/indigenous+west+coast+forests+transferred+conservation+estate. Retrieved 16 March 2010. 

Further reading

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Native Forest Action Council — An unrelated environmental group called Native Forest Action formed at a later date. Native Forest Action Council was an environmental organisation in New Zealand. It was formed in 1975 from what was the Beech Forest Action Committee to advocate… …   Wikipedia

  • Beech Forest Action Committee — The Beech Forest Action Committee was an environmental organisation based in New Zealand.It was formed in the 1970 s as a grassroots group in Auckland to protest against native forest logging. The group was not totally opposed to the logging but… …   Wikipedia

  • native American — native American, adj. a person born in the United States. [1835 45, Amer.] * * * ▪ indigenous peoples of Canada and United States Introduction also called  American Indian,  Amerindian,  Amerind,  Indian,  Aboriginal American,  or  First Nation… …   Universalium

  • Native Women's Association of Canada v. Canada — Supreme Court of Canada Argued March 4, 1994 Decided October 27, 1994 Full case name: Her Majesty The Queen v. Native Women s Association of Canada, Gail Stacey Moore and Sharon McIvor …   Wikipedia

  • Native American Heritage Day — is a civil holiday observed on the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. Native American Heritage Day Observed by United States of America Type Historical Significance A day in honor of Native Americans Date …   Wikipedia

  • Native American — Indian (def. 1). Usage. See Indian, Eskimo. * * * ▪ indigenous peoples of Canada and United States Introduction also called  American Indian,  Amerindian,  Amerind,  Indian,  Aboriginal A …   Universalium

  • Forest Park (Portland) — Geobox Protected Area name = Forest Park native name = other name = other name1 = category local = category iucn = image size = 300 image caption = etymology type = Named for etymology = country = United States state = Oregon region type = City… …   Wikipedia

  • Native American religions — Introduction       religious beliefs and sacramental practices of the indigenous peoples of North and South America. Until the 1950s it was commonly assumed that the religions of the surviving Native Americans were little more than curious… …   Universalium

  • Native American self-determination — See also: Tribal sovereignty in the United States Native American self determination refers to the social movements, legislation, and beliefs by which the tribes in the United States (US) exercise self governance and decision making on issues… …   Wikipedia

  • Native American dance — Introduction also called  Indian dance  or  American Indian dance   the dance of the aboriginal inhabitants of the Americas, often called American Indians.       The treatment of Native American dance in this article is meant to focus first on… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”